The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

SECTION XXXIII

Vaisampayana said,—­“the ever-victorious
Nakula, the son of Pandu, having reached Hastinapura,
formally invited Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. The
elder of the Kuru race with the preceptor at their
head, invited with due ceremonies, came with joyous
hearts to that sacrifice, with Brahmanas walking before
them. And, O hull of the Bharata race, having
heard of king Yudhishthira’s sacrifice, hundreds
of other Kshatriyas acquainted with the nature of
the sacrifice, with joyous hearts came there from
various countries, desiring to behold king Yudhishthira
the son of Pandu and his sacrificial mansion, and
brought with them many costly jewels of various kinds.
And Dhritarashtra and Bhishma and Vidura of high intelligence;
and all Kaurava brothers with Duryyodhana at their
head; and Suvala the king of Gandhara and Sakuni endued
with great strength; and Achala, and Vrishaka, and
Karna that foremost of all charioteers; and Salya
endued with great might and the strong Valhika; and
Somadatta, and Bhuri of the Kuru race, and Bhurisravas
and Sala; and Aswatthama, Kripa, Drona, and Jayadratha,
the ruler of Sindhu; and Yajnasena with his sons,
and Salya that lord of earth and that great car warrior
king Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisha accompanied by all
Mlechcha tribes inhabiting the marshy regions on the
sea-shore; and many mountain kings, and king Vrihadvala;
and Vasudeva the king of the Paundrayas, and the kings
of Vanga and Kalinga; and Akastha and Kuntala and
the kings of the Malavas and the Andhrakas; and the
Dravidas and the Singhalas and the king of Kashmira,
and king Kuntibhoja of great energy and king Gauravahana,
and all the other heroic kings of Valhika; and Virata
with his two sons, and Mavella endued with great might;
and various kings and princes ruling in various countries;
and, O Bharata king Sisupala endued with great energy
and invincible in battle accompanied by his son—­all
of them came to the sacrifice of the son of Pandu.
And Rama and Aniruddha and Kanaka and Sarana; and
Gada, Pradyumna, Shamva, and Charudeshna of great energy;
and Ulmuka and Nishatha and the brave Angavaha; and
innumerable other Vrishnis—­all mighty car-warriors—­came
there.

“These and many other kings from the middle
country came, O monarch, to that great Rajasuya sacrifice
of the son of Pandu. And, O king, at the command
of king Yudhishthira the just, mansions were assigned
to all those monarchs, that were full of various kinds
of edibles and adorned with tanks and tall trees.
And the son of Dharma worshipped all those illustrious
monarchs as they deserved. Worshipped by the king
they retired to mansions that were assigned to them.
Those mansions were (white and high) like the cliffs
of Kailasa, and delightful to behold, and furnished
with every kind of furniture. They were enclosed
on all sides with well-built and high white-washed
walls; their windows were covered with net-works of